1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to computer networking.
2. Description of the Background Art
Spanning tree protocol (STP) is a link management protocol that prevents undesirable loops in a network while providing path redundancy. Undesirable loops occur when there are multiple active paths between stations. If a loop exists, a switch or bridge may see stations appearing on both sides of the switch. This can confuse the forwarding algorithm, allowing duplicate frames to be forwarded.
STP defines a tree that spans all switches in an extended network and forces select redundant data paths into a standby or blocked state. If one segment of the network becomes unreachable, STP can re-establish a link to that segment by activating a standby path.